Monterey County Historical SocietyMuseum Founders Club

Our current efforts to build a new museum began shortly after the Loma Prieta earthquake on October 17, 1989. As we surveyed our damaged facility, it became clear almost immediately that the Brooks House, which we had been using as a museum and office, could not be repaired. We went to the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) office which had been set up in Salinas shortly after the quake, but were told we were not eligible for federal funds.

We started planning and held several meetings. By early February 1990 we had a better idea of the type of museum our members wanted. We also began planning for a Founders Club, centered around individuals or organizations each donating $2,500 toward the new museum. We originally planned to start building the new museum when we collected $250,000. We realized, however, that it would take much more than that to actually complete the facility.

Late in February we learned that we were indeed eligible for federal funds. In the pressure of setting up and staffing the emergency processing center in Salinas after the earthquake we were given incorrect information.

FEMA advised us that they would provide us with funds to replace the Brooks House, because they too considered it too expensive to repair. They also told us that we had to replace the building with one maintaining the same functions (that is, office, museum, and storage). And we could add our own money to theirs and build a larger facility!

The goal of the Founders Club changed slightly after this news from FEMA. Originally we had planned to start the museum when we received $250,000 from the first 100 Founders Club members. However, with the funds from FEMA, we were able to begin construction much earlier (in fact, FEMA rules required almost immediate construction once the funds were dispersed). This placed us in a bit of a bind--if we did not collect enough money to add to FEMA's to start our large museum, we would have to settle for a much smaller facility, because we had to use the federal money immediately. But this also meant we could not finish the structure immediately.

Work on the structure is still in progress. The infrastructure (utilities, sewer hookup, etc.) is all in place and the shell of the building three-quarters completed. We are still working on fundraising to complete the shell and begin on the interior. We could use your help!